Pam's story
Pamela “Pam” Ivey, 56, a human services specialist from Jersey City, woke up at 4 a.m. and soon realized that she couldn’t function and was paralyzed on the left side.
Thinking fast, she called 911 guessing it was a stroke. She was right.
Rushed to Bayonne Medical Center, Pam received clot-busting medicine that saved her life. Pam found it hard to initially accept that it was a stroke and was fearful that she wouldn’t get her life back.
But once she was medically stable, her physicians recommended a comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation program to help her regain mobility and independence. Pam and her family conducted their research and chose Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (KIR) - West Orange. “It’s the best facility in my and my family’s opinion,” she said.
Upon arrival at KIR-West Orange, Pam could not walk, feel anything in her left arm or leg, and struggled with balance even when sitting. She also struggled with speaking and was unable to perform basic daily activities, such as dressing and toileting without substantial help. Her physician-led rehabilitation team worked with Pam to put a treatment plan in place that would support her stated goals of eating, sitting, bathing, dressing and using the bathroom by herself.
Pam was determined to recover. Her plan required physical, occupational and speech therapy. To start, Pam’s physical therapy team utilized advanced techniques and equipment to help strengthen her body to retrain her muscles so she could transfer, walk and use her arms. Electrical stimulation was used to stimulate the muscles in her left arm to improve muscle weakness and range of motion. By causing repeated muscle contractions, blood flow improves, helping repair and strengthen injured muscles through repeated cycles of contraction and relaxation. Over time, it can “train” muscles to respond to the body’s natural signals to contract.
Pam used a variety of modalities or treatments to help her get back on her feet again. Her therapists used electrical stim again to target specific muscles in her left leg. To help her walk naturally, the team used harness systems to support her body weight while gait training. She particularly looked forward to using the Andago, a robotic device with an over-the-head harness that assists patients who are relearning to walk. “It made me feel like I was walking again and … [it] gave me confidence,” said Pam.
One of her breakthrough moments occurred when she walked in the gym without a wheelchair for the first time, supported only by her physical therapist. “I realized that I could really walk again,” Pam shared.
Her occupational therapy sessions focused on refining fine motor skills while performing activities of daily living like getting dressed, grooming and eating. Treatment involved activities to improve her motor control and balance while introducing adaptive equipment to use as she recovered. Electrical stimulation also paved the way for her progress in these areas.
A speech therapist worked with Pam for three weeks to help her improve her articulation and annunciation so that she could clearly communicate. This was accomplished using a combination of exercises to strengthen and control mouth and tongue muscles and practicing sounds.
The role of her family and friends was crucial during her recovery. While Pam focused on rehabilitation, her family took care of her bills and provided support through regular visits and loving encouragement. “They were my backbone,” she said.
As she looked forward to her discharge, Pam was eager to regain her independence and move around her apartment without fear of falling. She planned to continue her rehabilitation as an outpatient at Kessler, stating, “I love Kessler!”
Reflecting on her experience, Pam praised the dedication of the Kessler staff: “Kessler has the most amazing equipment and space, the gym is awesome, they hire the best therapists in the country, the job that the entire staff in the gym does is amazing. Everyone is willing to help each other…. It’s not just a job for them; they truly want to see us recover.”
Pam advised others embarking on a similar path: “You have to have your first big cry and after that you have to get to work. You have all the help you need right here.”
Thinking fast, she called 911 guessing it was a stroke. She was right.
Rushed to Bayonne Medical Center, Pam received clot-busting medicine that saved her life. Pam found it hard to initially accept that it was a stroke and was fearful that she wouldn’t get her life back.
But once she was medically stable, her physicians recommended a comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation program to help her regain mobility and independence. Pam and her family conducted their research and chose Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (KIR) - West Orange. “It’s the best facility in my and my family’s opinion,” she said.
Upon arrival at KIR-West Orange, Pam could not walk, feel anything in her left arm or leg, and struggled with balance even when sitting. She also struggled with speaking and was unable to perform basic daily activities, such as dressing and toileting without substantial help. Her physician-led rehabilitation team worked with Pam to put a treatment plan in place that would support her stated goals of eating, sitting, bathing, dressing and using the bathroom by herself.
Pam was determined to recover. Her plan required physical, occupational and speech therapy. To start, Pam’s physical therapy team utilized advanced techniques and equipment to help strengthen her body to retrain her muscles so she could transfer, walk and use her arms. Electrical stimulation was used to stimulate the muscles in her left arm to improve muscle weakness and range of motion. By causing repeated muscle contractions, blood flow improves, helping repair and strengthen injured muscles through repeated cycles of contraction and relaxation. Over time, it can “train” muscles to respond to the body’s natural signals to contract.
Pam used a variety of modalities or treatments to help her get back on her feet again. Her therapists used electrical stim again to target specific muscles in her left leg. To help her walk naturally, the team used harness systems to support her body weight while gait training. She particularly looked forward to using the Andago, a robotic device with an over-the-head harness that assists patients who are relearning to walk. “It made me feel like I was walking again and … [it] gave me confidence,” said Pam.
One of her breakthrough moments occurred when she walked in the gym without a wheelchair for the first time, supported only by her physical therapist. “I realized that I could really walk again,” Pam shared.
Her occupational therapy sessions focused on refining fine motor skills while performing activities of daily living like getting dressed, grooming and eating. Treatment involved activities to improve her motor control and balance while introducing adaptive equipment to use as she recovered. Electrical stimulation also paved the way for her progress in these areas.
A speech therapist worked with Pam for three weeks to help her improve her articulation and annunciation so that she could clearly communicate. This was accomplished using a combination of exercises to strengthen and control mouth and tongue muscles and practicing sounds.
The role of her family and friends was crucial during her recovery. While Pam focused on rehabilitation, her family took care of her bills and provided support through regular visits and loving encouragement. “They were my backbone,” she said.
As she looked forward to her discharge, Pam was eager to regain her independence and move around her apartment without fear of falling. She planned to continue her rehabilitation as an outpatient at Kessler, stating, “I love Kessler!”
Reflecting on her experience, Pam praised the dedication of the Kessler staff: “Kessler has the most amazing equipment and space, the gym is awesome, they hire the best therapists in the country, the job that the entire staff in the gym does is amazing. Everyone is willing to help each other…. It’s not just a job for them; they truly want to see us recover.”
Pam advised others embarking on a similar path: “You have to have your first big cry and after that you have to get to work. You have all the help you need right here.”